Connecting Visitors, Residents, Businesses, History, and the Chesapeake Bay

The Mathews County Visitor and Information Center, Inc. (MCVIC) serves as a visitor resource, community hub, and destination marketing organization for Mathews County, Virginia. From its home in historic Sibley’s General Store, MCVIC connects visitors and residents with the businesses, lodging, arts, history, events, natural resources, and community organizations that make Mathews County unique.

MCVIC’s work supports not only tourism, but also local economic vitality, historic preservation, education, environmental stewardship, accessibility, arts and culture, and community engagement.

Tourism & Economic Impact

MCVIC promotes Mathews County as a place to visit, stay, dine, shop, explore, and experience the Chesapeake Bay. Through VisitMathews.com, social media, the annual FYI Visitor Guide, regional tourism partnerships, and in-person outreach, MCVIC connects travelers with lodging, restaurants, shops, marinas, attractions, outdoor recreation, historic sites, events, and other local resources.

Tourism is an important part of Mathews County’s rural economy. According to the Virginia Tourism Corporation, visitors spent $19.2 million in Mathews County in 2024, a 5.9% increase over 2023, generating approximately $1.3 million in state and local tax revenue. Recent county economic data also reports more than 100,000 visitor trips in 2025.

MCVIC supports this visitor economy by:

• Maintaining extensive tourism and trip-planning information on VisitMathews.com.
• Promoting local lodging through its online lodging resources and Cottage Program for short-term rentals.
• Publishing and distributing the annual FYI Mathews County Visitor Guide, featuring lodging, dining, shopping, attractions, events, maps, community information, and local businesses.
• Providing visitors with maps, brochures, driving routes, bicycle routes, birding information, paddling resources, the Blueways Guide, and information about public water access and outdoor recreation.
• Representing Mathews County at regional events outside the county, including events such as the Gloucester Daffodil Festival, to introduce new audiences to Mathews and encourage future visitation.
• Promoting local shopping and Main Street activities that help direct residents and visitors to locally owned businesses.

Supporting Local Businesses, Artists, Makers & Authors

MCVIC provides year-round visibility for Mathews County’s small businesses and creative community.

The Visitor Center showcases and sells work from approximately 70–80 local artists and makers, providing local creators with an ongoing venue to reach residents and visitors.

MCVIC also promotes programs such as the Made in Mathews Open Studio Tour, encouraging visitors to explore studios throughout the county, meet local artists, and purchase locally produced art and crafts.

Local authors and historians are supported through book sales, author talks, book signings, historical programs, and promotion through MCVIC’s website and social media. These activities help preserve and share Mathews County’s stories, culture, and heritage while supporting the people who document and interpret them.

Connecting Residents & Visitors with the Community

MCVIC maintains the VisitMathews.com Community Calendar, serving as a centralized resource for events and activities throughout Mathews County.

Through the Community Calendar, VisitMathews.com, Facebook, Instagram, Sibley’s Store (Visitor Center), and other communications, MCVIC promotes programs offered by:

• Local nonprofits and civic organizations
• Museums and historical organizations
• Mathews Memorial Library
• Local businesses and merchants
• Government and public-safety agencies
• Schools and community groups
• Artists, authors, and cultural organizations
• Recreation and outdoor organizations
• Neighboring and regional community partners

MCVIC’s outreach helps residents and visitors discover educational programs, festivals, markets, civic activities, historical events, recreational opportunities, performances, and other ways to participate in community life.

Community Events & Partnerships

MCVIC organizes, participates in, supports, and promotes activities that bring residents and visitors together.

These include events such as Music on Maple, holiday activities, children’s programs, Main Street events, Easter egg hunts, community celebrations, and other seasonal programming.

MCVIC also supports broader community events by helping promote activities such as the Mathews Christmas Parade, Main Street Night Market and Tree Lighting, National Night Out, historical programs, festivals, and civic events.

Partnership is central to MCVIC’s work. The organization regularly collaborates with local nonprofits, civic organizations, government agencies, businesses, community foundations, tourism partners, and neighboring communities.

Historic Preservation & Cultural Heritage

MCVIC is the steward of historic Sibley’s General Store, an important Main Street landmark and part of the Sibley’s and James Store Historic District listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The property has served Mathews County as a place of commerce and community connection for generations. Today, MCVIC preserves that legacy while adapting the property for continued public use as a Visitor and Information Center, educational resource, retail venue for local artists, and community gathering place.

MCVIC also promotes historic sites and educational programs throughout Mathews County, including local Revolutionary War, maritime, Civil War, lighthouse, and community history.

The organization participates in and promotes Virginia’s VA250 commemoration, helping residents and visitors learn about Mathews County’s place in Virginia and American history through reenactments, exhibits, author programs, educational events, and community celebrations.

Education & Interactive Exhibits

The Visitor Center includes museum and hands-on educational exhibits designed to engage both children and adults.

The Chesapeake Room introduces visitors to Mathews County’s maritime heritage, Chesapeake Bay environment, aquaculture, and natural resources. Interactive activities include a Little Mariners Knot-Tying Station, where children and families can learn practical maritime skills while exploring the county’s connection to the water.

With support from the Mathews Community Foundation, Mathews Rotary, and community members, in 2026 MCVIC also established an Augmented Reality Sandbox. This interactive exhibit allows participants to create and change topography in real time while exploring concepts including hydrology, geology, erosion, deposition, conservation, geomorphology, and other earth sciences.

These exhibits transform the Visitor Center into more than a source of travel information—they provide an accessible educational experience focused on the history, environment, and culture of the Chesapeake Bay region.

Environmental Stewardship, Maritime Heritage & Aquaculture

As a Chesapeake Bay community, Mathews County’s history, economy, recreation, and culture are closely connected to the water.

MCVIC promotes responsible enjoyment and stewardship of the county’s waterways and natural resources through educational materials, exhibits, tourism information, and community initiatives.

Programs and resources highlight:

• Chesapeake Bay ecology and wildlife
• Environmental conservation and stewardship
• Aquaculture and working-waterfront traditions
• Boating, paddling, and public water access
• Birding and wildlife viewing
• Blueways and water trails
• Responsible outdoor recreation

Through initiatives such as Stewards of the Bay, MCVIC helps encourage appreciation and understanding of the Chesapeake Bay, its inhabitants, and the importance of protecting the natural resources that support Mathews County’s quality of life and visitor economy.

Expanding Accessibility

MCVIC works to make Mathews County’s recreational resources accessible to more people.

This has included providing Mobi-Mats for local beaches, improving beach access for residents and visitors who use wheelchairs or have limited mobility.

By supporting accessible recreation, MCVIC helps ensure that more people can experience Mathews County’s waterfront and natural resources.

Promoting Mathews Beyond the County

MCVIC’s work extends beyond the Visitor Center and beyond Mathews County.

The organization participates in regional tourism events and festivals to promote Mathews to new audiences, distributes visitor information, develops relationships with tourism partners, and uses digital outreach to encourage travelers to discover the county.

This regional outreach supports local lodging providers, restaurants, retailers, artists, recreational businesses, attractions, and other organizations that benefit when visitors choose Mathews as a destination.

Strengthening the Entire Community

MCVIC’s role extends beyond attracting visitors. Its programs and partnerships help connect people with the full Mathews community.

Through the Visitor Center, VisitMathews.com, FYI Visitor Guide, Community Calendar, social media, educational exhibits, events, historic preservation, regional outreach, and community partnerships, MCVIC works to:

• Strengthen the local tourism economy.
• Support locally owned businesses and lodging.
• Provide opportunities for artists, makers, and authors.
• Preserve and interpret Mathews County history.
• Provide educational experiences for children and adults.
• Promote environmental and Chesapeake Bay stewardship.
• Expand access to recreational resources.
• Connect residents and visitors with nonprofit, civic, educational, and cultural programs.
• Encourage community participation and collaboration.
• Promote Mathews County throughout Virginia and the surrounding region.

MCVIC’s impact is ultimately about connection—connecting visitors with Mathews, residents with their community, businesses with customers, artists with audiences, organizations with participants, and future generations with the history and natural resources that make Mathews County special.

Contact / Organization Information

Mathews County Visitor and Information Center, Inc. (MCVIC)
In Historic Sibley’s General Store
239 Main Street
Mathews, VA 23109
Mailing: PO Box 1456, Mathews, VA 23109
Phone: 804-725-4229
EIN: 54-2024602